Motor-controller



W. M. SHALLCROSS.

MOTOR CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2I, 1914.

Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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UNITED STATES WILMER M. SHALLGROSS, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

MOTOR-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

Application filed March 21, 1914. Serial No. 826.407.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILMER M. SHALL- onoss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Motor-Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification.

This invention relates to improvements in drum controllers.

It has among its objects to provide a series parallel drum controller which may be mechanically embodied in a simple, compact and substantial form.

A further object is to so arrange the con tacts of such a controller as to minimize the electrical division thereof and thereby facilitate mechanical support and electrical connection thereof.

Various other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 showing a schematic layout of the controller and one set of circuit connections;

Fig. 2 illustrating the drum section of the controller designed to carry the contact segments of Fig. 1, and,

Figs. 8 to 9 illustrating sections on correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 2 these figures showing the contact segments mounted on the drum section.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the controller includes ten contact fingers 10 to 19 and sigteen cooperating contact segments designated by the same numerals as their respective contacts but supplemented characters 'a or b. The segments are divided into three electrically independent groups, the segments of each group being electrically connected together. One group includes seg ments 10, 11, 12 12 13 13 and 14 the second groupv includes segments 141: and 15 and the third group includes segments 15, 16 16 17, 17 18 and 19*. All of the segments, as will hereinafter appear, are mounted upon a member to form a single drum having seven operative positions, and an in termediate transitory position.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the controller is employed for controlling series or parallel connections for two electric motors 20 and 21 and its adaptation to this use will now be explained.

In the position a of the controller the contact segments 11, 12, 17 and 18 engage fingers 11, 12, 17 and 18 respectively. This completes circuit from line L by con ductor 22 through the field F and armature A of motor 20, by conductor 23 through resistances r and r to finger 12 thence across segment 12 and 11 to finger 11, by conductor 24; to finger 18 and across segments 18 and 17 to finger 17 and through resistances 1' and 7 by conductor 25 through the armature A and field winding F of motor 21 to line L. The motors are thus connected in series with one another, their circuit including the four sections of resistance r to F.

In the position b of the controller the aforesaid segments remain in contact with their respective fingers and segment 13* engages its respective finger, thereby excluding from the motor circuit the resistance section 1".

In the position 0 of the controller the segment 12 disengages its contact finger and segment l6 engages its finger which re sults in excluding from the motor circuit the resistance section T In the position cl of the controller the segment 17 disengages its finger while segments 1 1 and 15* engage their respective fingers. This connects the motors in series directly across the lines. The circuit for the motors may then be traced from line L through motor 20 to finger 1 1 by segments 1 1 and 15" to finger 15, by conductor 25 through motor 21 to line L.

In the position w of the controller which is transitory segments 11 13 16 and 18 disengage their respective fingers while segments 10 12 17 and 19 engage their respective fingers. This establishes, in connection with the circuit just described, a IVheatstone bridge connection for the motors. The additional connections thus made may be traced as follows: One connection extends from the right hand terminal of the motor 20 through the resistances r and r to finger 12 and segment 12*, thence to segment 10 and finger 10, by conductor 26 to line L. A second connection extends from line L by conductor 27 to finger 19 and segment 19 thence to segment 17 and finger 17 through resistances r and r by conductor 25 to the left hand terminal of motor 21. This, it should be understood, is merely a transitory position of the controller and said controller 67 should immediately be moved to position In position 6 of the controller segments 14 and 15 disengage their respective fingers, thereby interrupting the direct connection of the motors across the line; or in other words, the bridge of the WVheatstone connections, which leaves the motors in parallel, each with two sections of resistance in series therewith.

In the position f of the controller the segments 10 12", 17 and 19 remain in engagement with their fingers and segments 13 and 16 engage their respective fingers. This results in excluding from the circuit of the motor 20 the resistance r and in excluding from the circuit of the motor 21 the resistance 1.

When the controller is moved to position g the aforesaid segments remain in en gagement with their fingers and in addition contact is made between segments 14 and 15 and their respective fingers. This results in excluding from the circuit of the motor 20 the resistance r and excluding from the circuit of the motor 21 the resistance r Each motor is thus connected directly across the lines.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the controller provides for series-parallel changeovers without interruption of the motor circuit and provides for two steps of acceleration with both series and parallel connections. It will likewise be apparent that if more or less resistance steps be desired the number of contacts and segments may be varied accordingly without disturbing the grouping of the contact segments as above described.

The advantages of the controller from a mechanical standpoint will be readily ap parent from the additional views of the drawing. Referring to Fig. 2 the same shows a very simple, compact and rugged drum for carrying the above described segments. This drum comprises only three electrically independent sections 28, 29 and 30- adapted to'be mounted in an adjacent relation upon a common supporting shaft. In practice, each section is preferably formed of a casting and for convenience in casting and assembly, each is preferably divided longitudinally into two parts as best illustrated in Figs. 3 to 9.

The casting 28 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed lugs to carry the segments 10 11, 12", 12", 13 and 13*, as will be more specifically described in connection with the sectional views and with a longitudinally offset lug 31 for'carrying the contact segment 14*. The casting 30 has radial lugs for carrying the segments 16*, 16", 17", 17 18 and 19 and an offset lug 33 similar to the lug 31, to carry the contact segment 15. The casting 29 has radial lugs for carrying the contact segments 14, 15 and is arranged between the castings 28 and 30 to be overhung by the lugs 31 and 33 of the latter whereby the segments 14 and 15 will aline with segments 14 and 15 respectively. The three castings are spaced endwise from one another and are preferably provided with insulating spacers 34 and Also the lugs 31 and 33 on the end castings are spaced radially from the casting 29 as shown in Fig. 7. Thus if the castings be mounted upon an insulating shaft or upon a conducting shaft with each insulated therefrom they will be electrically independent of one another.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 9, which show sections through all of the castings, it will be observed that the two parts of each are secured together by bolts 36 which also serve to clamp the same to a suitable I supporting shaft. It will also be observed from these views that the interiors of these castings are at some points circular, as in Figs. 8, 5 and 9, and at other points rectangular, as in Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8. In practice, it is preferred to mount the castings upon a rectangular shaft and hence the rectangular interior formation of the castings at the bolting points.

Again referring to Figs. 3 to 9, the arrangement of contact segments on the three castings of the drum section will be more fully described. First considering the casting 28 the section thereof shown in Fig. 3 carries contact segment 10, the section shown in Fig. 4 carries segment 11", the section shown in Fig. 5 carries segments 12 and 12", and the section shown in Fig. 6 carries segments 13 and 13". Segment 14", carried by the lug 31, is shown in Fig. 7 Next considering casting 30, certain of the sections thereof are identical with those of casting 2S and are illustrated by the same views, namely Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 illustrates the section of casting 30 carrying the segment 19 while Fig. 4 illustrates the section of said casting carrying segment 18. The remaining sections of this casting are shown in Figs. 8 and 9, Fig. 9 illustrating the section for segments 17 and 17 and Fig. 8 illustrating the section for segments 16 and 16". The lug 33 of this casting as above stated, carries segment 15" and a cross section through this lug and contact is shown in Fig. 7. Finally, referring to the casting 29 the same has two like cross-sections both as illustrated in Fig. 7, one for segment 14 and the other for segment 15. The aforesaid sectional views all show the castings in the same angular position whereby the angular relation of the segments to one another will be readily apparent and will be found to correspond with that illustrated in Fig. 1.

While only one particular construction of controller has been illustrated and described it should be understood that various modifications might be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A series-parallel drum controller, including a plurality of contacts and a plurality of electrically independent sets of segments, two of said sets of segments being jointly cooperable with said certain of said contacts to provide for all circuit variations necessary for seriesparallel connections and another of said sets of segments being cooperable with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during seriesparallel commutations by the former segments.

2. A series-parallel drum controller, including a plurality of contacts and three electrically independent sets of segments,

two of said sets of segments being jointly cooperable with certain of said contacts to provide for all circuit commutations necessary for series-parallel connection and the other of said groups being cooperable with certain of the same contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during series-parallel commutations.

3. A series-parallel drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of cooperating series-parallel segments, all of the series-parallel segments being divided into only two electrically independent groups, and a third group of segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during seriesparal el changes by said first mentioned segments, said third group including only two segments.

4. A series-parallel drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of cooperating series-parallel segments, all of the series-parallel segments being divided into only two electrically independent groups, and a third group of segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during seriesparallel changes by said first mentioned seg ments, said third group including only two segments having contacts common to certain of said first mentioned segments.

5. A seriesparallel drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of series-parallel segments cooperating therewith, all of the series-parallel segments being divided into two electrically independent groups each including substantially half of the segments for series connections and for parallel connections and a third electrically independent group of two segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during the series parallel changes by said first two groups of segments.

6. A series-parallel drum controller provided with stationary contacts and cooperating movable segments, the latter being arranged about a common axis and mechanically and electrically arranged in three independent groups, two of said groups comp ising all the series-parallel segments and the third comprising transition segments.

7. A series-parallel drum controller provided with stationary contacts and cooperating movable segments, the latter being arranged about a common axis and mechanically and electrically arranged in three independent groups with the segments of each group in adjacent relation, two of said groups comprising all the series-parallel segments and the third comprising transition segments.

8. A series-parallel drum controller provided with stationary contacts, three electrically independent drum sections having a common axis, series-parallel contacts on two of said sections and transition con tacts on the third section, said first men tioned drum sections having contacts overhanging contacts on said third section.

9. A series-parallel drum controller provided with stationary contacts, three electrically independent drum sections having a common axis, a group of contacts mounted in adjacent relation upon each of the respective drum sections, all of the series-parallel contacts of the drum being included in two of said groups and the third group comprising transition contacts.

10. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller, including a plurality of contacts and a plurality of electrically independent sets of segments, two of said sets of segments being jointly cooperable with said certain of said contacts to provide for all circuit variations necessary for series-parallel connections and another of said sets of segments being cooperable with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during series-parallel commutations by the former segments.

11. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller, including a plurality of contacts and three electrically independent sets of segments, two of said sets of segments being jointly cooperable with certain of said contacts to provide for all circuit commutations necessary for series-parallel connections and the other of said groups being cooperable with certain of the same contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during series-parallel commutations.

12. The combination with circuits adapted for seriesparallel commutations, of a drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of cooperating series-parallel segments, said segments being divided into only two electrically independent groups, and a third group of segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during seriesparallel changes by said first mentioned segments, said third group including only two segments.

13. The combination with circuits adapted for seriesparallel commutations, of a drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of cooperating series-pan allel segments, said segments being divided into only two electrically independent groups, and a third group of segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during seriesparallel changes by said first mentioned segments, said third group including only two segments having contacts common to certain of said first mentioned segments.

14. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of series-parallel segments cooperating therewith, said segments being divided into two electrically independent groups each including substantially half of the segments for series connections and for parallel connections and a third electrically independent group of two segments cooperating with certain of said contacts to maintain continuity of circuit during the seriesparallel changes by said first two groups of segments.

15. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller provided with stationary contacts and cooperating movable segments, the latter being arranged about a common axis Ari and mechanically and electrically arranged in three independent groups, two of said groups comprising series-parallel segments and the third comprising transition segments.

16. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller provided with stationary contacts and cooperating movable segments, the latter being arranged about a common axis and mechanically and electrically arranged in three independent groups with the segments of each group in adjacent relation, two of said groups comprising series-parallel segments and the third comprising transition segments.

17. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller provided with stationary contacts, three electrically independent drum sections having a common axis, series-parallel contacts on two of said sections and transition contacts on the third section, said first mentioned drum sections having contacts overhanging contacts on said third section.

18. The combination with circuits adapted for series-parallel commutations, of a drum controller provided with stationary contacts, three electrically independent drum sections having a common axis, two groups of series-parallel contacts, the contacts of each of said groups being mounted in an adjacent relation on one of said drum sections, and a third group of transition contacts mounted in an adjacent relation upon the remaining drum section.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

VVILMER M. SHALLCROSS. Witnesses:

TEKLA BART,

S. A. WATSON. 

